Virtual Forks
 

I recall that the old timers here had a get together called Forks a LOOONG time ago ...
As we're all cooped up indoors now for the foreseeable with little to distinguish one day from the next, mebbe it'd be good to fix a time for a weekly virtual forks, bring your own booze optional? Just a half hour time window to "check in", though of course we may blether for longer ....
Are most of you Murricans in the Eastern time zone? Would 6pm on a Saturday work for you?? That's 11pm for us Brits (may be past Carruther's bed time, but then again, he's an insomniac). And unfortunately some sort of morning time for Aliantha ...
It could be a Skype conference call, or some smart techie could come up with a better suggestion.
Whaddayall think?

If I can make it work. I'm game.

Zoom lets you do free videoconferencing for 3-100 people for up to 40 minutes.

I think Skype video calls (over wifi) are free without time limit? But I hear a lot of people mention zoom .....


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I've been using zoom for days!

It's pretty damn easy to use, although I've only joined meeting, haven't set one up.

The biggest issue some people have is figuring out how to click a box to turn on their camera, or click a box to turn on their microphone.

google hangouts can do this too.

I'm in.

We already have an established slack channel for those among us who would like text communication. It's been dormant for awhile, but I will check it this morning and see.

I think a video option would be good for this (optional, of course). Does Slack do that, I can’t remember?


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Right folks. Can I suggest Zoom as a platform? I’ll look into how to set it up and find out what I’ll need from y’alls to invite you.
6pm Eastern time for the Murricans, 11pm for the Brits, tomorrow, Saturday ....
I’ll be back here when I’ve taken a look at Zoom ...


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Okay. To be at virtual forks tomorrow please either download the ZOOM app, or go to the webpage. Get yourselves an account (free). Message me with the email address used for your account and I’ll “schedule” the meeting.
Cheers


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I love the idea of a video option.

I did confirm that the slack workspace is working. The URL is thecellar.slack.com. If you have already joined and have a username, you can enter your credentials here. If you don't have credentials, send me a PM and I'll send you an invitation.

Slack's a great, free tool. I used it back in the day when I had a paying gig, and many here use it too.

Does Slack offer a video option? Zoom is also free and seems really easy to use for our purpose.

I'm not at all sure what time we close tomorrow. If I can get home in time, I'll join. Rain date some time Sunday?

HA! I'd like to try to do this.

Glad I checked in today.

I have to wash a fork.

Do we need to have a fork to get in? I have a special red one. Maybe I can do the new house tour. Finally

You have to give a fork to get in. ;)

6pm Eastern will be 10pm here until we change to BST next weekend.

Righty ho, thanks Carruthers! 6pm Eastern time, 10pm for the Brits until we change the clocks later this month.
I’m just about to set this up. If you want in, please message me your email address and download the Zoom app (or get Zoom up on your PC).
Forks optional. BYOB.


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Hey limey, why did you strike out the word 'our' in 'our mr. limey' in one of your other posts?

Did I? I don't recall doing it. But anyhoo he's MY Mr Limey .....

Sent by magick

Lovely to see monster and limey just now! The rest of you chumps, well, you'll just have to wait until next time.

Indeed, great to chat with Monster and Clod! LJ and Glatt missed out, fer sure! [emoji6]Same time next week? Anyone want to join us?


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true dat :ggw: :lol:

I got stuck at work. But that won't happen next week. Or the next or next or next probably. We're all on furlough. Closed. Unemployed.

I'm actually kind of excited to have that much time off. Amanda can still work, so now she's my sugar mama.

Better speed up the wedding plans so she can't get away. ;)

I'll try next week!

Sorry I missed you guys! Turns out 6PM on a Saturday isn’t the best time for me to shun immediate family and get on the laptop.

Too much going on with meal prep, eating, etc.

I'm open to suggestion about a better time. Earlier, preferably, to account for time zone differences with Europe. As many of us are either working from home of off work altogether the schedule is wide open, I guess.

I'm sorry I missed the last episode of Virtual Forks.

I have since successfully figured out how to use Zoom, it's pretty slick, phone and computer. Now I have a new idea (not my idea, I stole it from a NYT article, now I'm sharing it here).


We can have Quarantinis and Placeboritas!

Isolation -- check
Internet access -- check
Zoom app -- check
Booze -- check
Thirst -- check

Now all we have to do is open the bar!

About opening the bar....


I've learned that it's prudent to keep the meeting url/code non public so we're not zoom-bombed (that's what the booze is for, eh?). I'm happy to host the meeting, there doesn't need to be only one meeting. In my experimentation I was able to be in two zoom meetings at the same time, one on my computer and one on my phone. It does require a certain agility, but doable.

As for the scheduling, I remember when the the cellar chat was active. People would drop in whenever, chat with whomever was present. The "announcing" such as it was consisted of a post in a thread (such as this one) and can easily be adapted for our purposes here to have that post followed up by a PM with the meeting code. Anyone can host, just say so, people will respond as they will.

This also brings to mind something brought up by Limey when we were comparing Zoom and Slack. One difference I have thought of since is that Slack is perfectly content to remain open but idle on my computer, signaling me only when there's a new message, but Zoom feels more like the main event, something that really requires continuous presence. They're complimentary, not completely competitive.

I agree about keeping the meeting ID and password between ourselves, i.e. sent out in PMs.
Not quite sure why we would want two concurrent Cellar meetings? I had it in my head that the next one is sort of scheduled for tomorrow at 6pm Eastern time, 10pm GMT ....
BigV do you want to host?


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I think Zoom worked fine the way we did last Saturday, I'm not sure why we would change anything except the time if there's a better time for more people. I had my forks ready too... cute little pickle forks I picked up in a junk shop :) I just forgot at the time. 6 Eastern works fine for me -that's 22:00 zulu time, I think.... :/ but I'm pretty flexible..... evenings are best though

Heya!

two concurrent zoom meetings was just an experiment, I was only playing with the application and my equipment and found it was possible.

for "virtual forks" sure, setup a predefined meeting time so people can plan accordingly; not a single thing wrong with that.

for "zoom happy hour", well, it's five o'clock *somewhere* all the damn time. So I suggest anyone who wants to have a drink (drinks optional) just show up and announce that they're hosting a Zoom Happy Hour (hour optional). That person can host, or if there's a happy hour underway, join the current one in progress. Or ask for someone else to host so they don't have a sink full of dirty dishes afterward.

I'm just thinking out loud. I did recently (since the previous post in this thread) adjust my workspace--it's a work in progress. I might join via phone so I can move around... Semper Gumby.

Do I want to host, sure. Let's have a drink!

PM me for the meeting URL and password.

Great, BigV! You're hosting tomorrow? Will pm you right now!

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I'm hosting RIGHT NOW.

Well...

I have the whole damn bar to myself.

Well, I finished my drink and closed the bar.

I only turned the light off, so if any of you are still thirsty, we can set it up again. Just make some noise here and we'll get to it.

fargon just turned the light back on.

Come and have a damn drink!

bar's closed again.

I'll setup a new thread.

Me and Amanda got on zoom last Saturday with my sister's family and played Yahtzee for like 2 hours. Didn't see any 40 minute minute limit. Maybe just because it was only a 2 party thing?

I'll be on tomorrow at 6. You should too. I'm planning set something on fire.

Yeah, the free version is unlimited minutes for 2 people, or 40 minutes for groups of 3-100.

I'll email or DM tonights virtual forks link and Secret Password later today.
Bring a fork: 6pm Eastern 10pm GMT ...

Have messaged the meeting number and password out to those that have expressed an interest .....
More welcome!


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Thank you! I will try to attend.

Moar

I had to go feed my Cats. And yes MOAR!!!

ya coulda just yelled for Thor to do it like I did.....

That was really nice, a gigantic thank you to limey for making this happen!

My interwebz connection has been up and down all night - I will try to make the next one.

Dude, we need to know.... Day-na or Dar-na? Not that we were discussing you or anything ;)

Thanks y’alls for being there. Moar next week, mebbe a different day? Anyone have strong feelings? And mebbe a leeeetle earlier in the day as we Brits are putting our clocks forwards tonight so it will be Very Late Indeed for little old me from now on unless we make a change ....
But nice to see ppl and chat. :yesnod:


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Day-na :P

Sorry to miss this one! Hopefully next week will be less fraught with domestic distractions.

thanks. But now there is only Zuuuuuuul.......

I win!

Great putting faces and voices together!

A little earlier is fine with me.

6pm eastern doesn’t work at all for me.

4pm eastern is much more doable.

Today I was playing Euchre with the wife and kids, with a spread of cheese and crackers, cut up apples and a bowl of peanuts, and having a glass of wine.

At 4pm, I was doing nothing and was free.

I know that’s like lunch time for the west coast.

It's lunch time on the west coast anyway.....

White boy


I could do earlier, but I'll be sober..